The third quarter of 2011 has seen a 22% increase in new assignments for interim managers, according to an Interim Management Association (IMA) quarterly survey.

Conducted by Ipsos MORI, the poll found that the private sector now accounts for 65% of completed interim managerial assignments, up from 61% in Q2, the highest level since Q4 2007, pre-recession.

IMA members’ enquiries are 68% up on a historic low of Q4 2010.

Jason Atkinson, chair of the IMA, says: “With the summer period historicaly slow for hiring and the UK economy continuing to struggle, it’s quite remarkable that the uptake in assignments increase by 22%.

“The rise in completed private sector assignments is also encouraging with the figures showing interim usage in the private sector now on par with 2007 levels.

“In just a few decades, interim management has evolved to become a mainstream resourcing option and an industry worth over $1.5bn to the UK economy.”